I have a secret that I need to share. A guilty shame that I keep from people, and take pleasure in behind closed doors. I'm finally going to shout it to the masses and shed myself from the shackles ... I'm a big fan of Supernatural. There. I've done it. A great burden has been lifted!
I've been covering Smallville for TV Squad for awhile now, but have been watching it for years. When Jensen Ackles left the show and started doing Supernatural, I scoffed. The show didn't look that appealing to me, and the posters with Jared Padalecki holding a wicked curved knife and Jensen holding the rifle just didn't appeal to me. I thought it looked like a rough day on the set of The O.C.
Boy, was I wrong. At the insistence of several friends that I watch the show, I finally sat down with a few episodes and some paperwork I needed to finish. When those episodes were done, my paperwork hadn't been touched, and I was a converted fan of the show.
As a crash course for those of you who haven't seen the show yet: it's about two brothers whose mother was killed by a demon. They find out that their father was a "hunter" of demons, vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night. Brother Dean (Ackles) followed in their father's footsteps, while Brother Sam (Padalecki) decided to go off to college and live the good life. However, when his girlfriend is killed in almost the same manner as his mother, he joins up with Dean, and they go into the family business. It gets a lot more complicated, but that's it in a nutshell.
This past weekend, The CW and the cast and crew of the show were nice enough to invite us up to beautiful Vancouver to visit the set and talk to some of the key people on the show. When we arrived, it was chilly and rainy, which is a perfect setting for this spooky show. I noticed that the industrial business park they drove us out to wasn't exactly terrifying on the outside, but hey ... it's magic, folks.
We were treated to a tour of the set, and were treated very graciously by Cyrus Yavneh, the line producer, who took us through the production offices, showed us the art department, and talked about what goes into "making a movie every week." One of the highlights was meeting Lesley DeHaan, the 2nd Assistant Production Coordinator. She has the enviable task of handling all the fan mail that comes into the show, including their massive fan postcard collection, and the box of 1,000 origami cranes that someone sent into the show for good luck. Zowie!
We met with Ivan Hayden and Grant Lindsay from the visual effects department who showed us what goes into creating some of the gorier scenes in the show. We then toured through the wardrobe warehouse (literally) and talked to Diane Widas who creates the clothes for the show, and met with Shannon Coppin who is charge of the makeup department for the show, which not only includes making the actors look pretty, but is also responsible for creating on-set horror you see as well.
We watched them filming a scene involving a heart-to-heart between the brothers Winchester under the watchful eye of executive producer and director Kim Manners. Yes, the very same Kim Manners of X-Files fame. More on that in our interview with him, and our sit down with Ackles and Padalecki. Check out the pictures below (or check out my Flickr page with a lot more photos from the visit), and check back here on TV Squad for interviews Kim Manners, and the series stars
What's really supernatural is the amount of work that goes into building these sets.
Dad's tombstone, always a sobering thing to keep around.
The Roadhouse, stop by for a drink ... stay for the vampire killing tips.
A cemetery was being built right before our eyes.
Occult warriors, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki
Fan created thank you art, framed and adored by cast and crew.
The Supernatural fan postcard collection that covers a complete wall.
Red's Rifle shooting game, only at the Roadhouse. Are those Winchesters?
1,000 origami cranes for good luck. Now that is one really dedicated fan.
The Impala, almost a character unto itself. Plus a sweet ride, to boot.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-06-2007 @ 2:16PM
S said...
Color me jealous.
Just to note you mixed up the characters/actors...Sam is played by Jared Padelecki and Dean is played by Jensen Ackles...you did have the right backstory for the right actor though.
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4-06-2007 @ 2:16PM
SPN said...
No offense, but how can you call yourself a fan when you get the two leads confused?
Sam (Padalecki) and Dean (Ackles) grew up as hunters with their dad after their monther was killed by a demon. Sam goes away to college but rejoins the family business when Dean shows up because their father goes missing. When Sam's girlfriend gets killed the same way his mother did, they travel looking for the demon who did this to their family and try to find their father as well.
Tsk, tsk.
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4-06-2007 @ 2:30PM
Kevin said...
Whoops, fixed that. Thanks for the catch. I obviously know who they are, but when you try and cram this much information into a post, sometimes things get bobbled around, mistakes are made, heads will roll, etc.
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4-06-2007 @ 3:12PM
Tania said...
Great story, but you also wronged the names of the actors in your picture caption up there. It's JENSEN ACKLES AND JARED PADALECKI. Fix it! Can't have my babies come into your post and see their names mutilated like that. ;)
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4-06-2007 @ 4:16PM
PB said...
LOVE THIS SHOW! I watch it in daylong marathons (the beauty of saving shows on Tivo). In fact, I have a bunch saved up, so it's time to get creepy! I'm happy it's held its own against the Thursday night powerhouses and I hope it gets renewed for next season.
Any may I just say that Jensen Ackles is a quite the eye-candy ... one of the best reasons to watch the show ... and yes, I'm shallow ;-)
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4-06-2007 @ 4:17PM
Dawn said...
So, you were able to watch a hert-to-heart conversation between the boys, eh? Any chance you'll elude to what was happening in the scene? I have my ideas :)
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4-06-2007 @ 4:47PM
nico said...
Can you please fix the names of the actors?
It's Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki.
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4-06-2007 @ 5:00PM
VitoTheTiVo said...
Don't be ashamed. I've been extolling the virtues of this show... outside of a terrible rascist truck or "Road Kill" episode...
http://www.popculturejunkies.com
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4-06-2007 @ 5:53PM
malren said...
My GOD I love that car. I mean I LOVE love that car. I would kill to own one exactly like it, squeaky door and all.
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4-06-2007 @ 6:05PM
Kevin said...
I fixed it! Ahhhhhhhhhh! *running in shame from hardcore Supernats*
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4-07-2007 @ 1:48AM
Kate said...
Er, I don't want to pick on you or anything, sure it's just a typo or something, but the boys don't "find out that their father was a hunter", he becomes one when their mother is killed and the boys grow up knowing that he is one and being trained to become hunters themselves. So so jealous that you got to visit the set. Can't wait for that interview! :-)
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4-07-2007 @ 2:15PM
misty said...
Thank you so much for doing this!
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4-07-2007 @ 7:48PM
Daniel said...
I'm always interested to see what the hotel will look like that they're staying in for a particular show. They are always the same design with the room divider made of interesting materials. Your photos show just how creative that department can be. Beer bottles, nice.
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4-07-2007 @ 9:00PM
kell said...
ah that's so awesome. I wish you could share some info about that scene you got to watch!
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4-08-2007 @ 2:43AM
aizjanika said...
Thanks for the account of your set visit. I can't wait to read the rest. :-) The pictures are fantastic, too.
I didn't think I'd like Supernatural when I first heard of it, either, but I got sucked in and haven't looked back since. :-)
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4-08-2007 @ 9:31AM
natasha said...
I love the show supernatural. I hated that sam got told that one day his brother dean will have to kill him! Also i watch it every monday in Adelaide,South Australia!
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4-09-2007 @ 8:11AM
hermitme said...
Thanks so much for this blog on your adventures with the set of Supernatural. I've watched it since the beginning, but became hardcore after Asylum. Yes, we are an observant bunch who do pick out mistakes and are more than willing to correct you on them. LOL. Glad you got a chance to meet the cast and crew. Hope you keep watching and sharing your views.
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4-09-2007 @ 3:16PM
mrsrobinson58 said...
kevin, thank you for sharing your most enviable and memorable visit! your pictures were great, and how cool was that that many of the photos included their own supernatural "orbs"! :)
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4-09-2007 @ 4:20PM
laffouttloud125 said...
I adore this show. i really do. and the hear to hearts between the brothers are charming! but am i the only one who could stand a little less predictability??? i have yet to not know the ending of an episode within the first 10 mins.
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4-10-2007 @ 6:17PM
Misty R said...
I've been watching the show from the beginning and I absolutely love it.
Although one thing has been on my mind since the beginning. Whats on the necklace that Jensen Ackles wears every single episode? Is it just for his character, or is it something he wears all the time?
And also, who owns that 67' Chevy Impala? Or did they buy it. Because that is the best car ever made.
Keep up the good work *to everyone who makes this show possible*!
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